“Do you think they’re going to cause problems?” Josh asked, his brown eyes dark and troubled.
“They have every right to,” Jack said, thinking of Elizabeth and the things she’d said to him at the police station. “And I’ve heard Nate can be a real hothead.”
“Yeah, as evidenced by Dad’s bashed-in face,” Josh said wryly.
“Anyway,” Jack said, “where’s Hayley?”
“I thought I’d spare her.”
“Probably a good idea,” Jack said. He reminded himself that Josh and Hayley’s relationship was still quite new. They’d committed to each other in December, and it wasn’t even Valentine’s Day yet.
Valentine’s Day.
Jack felt a pang just thinking about it. Because of his previous tendency to restrict his relationships to women he met while traveling, he’d never had much reason to express romantic gestures, but at heart, he was a romantic guy. He would have loved to celebrate Valentine’s Day with Elizabeth. He would have taken her somewhere fancy for dinner—the Pioneer Hotel, maybe, or the new contemporary Asian restaurant overlooking the river. He would have plied her with chocolates and treated her to a massage and made her breakfast in bed. Or maybe he would have surprised her with a quick trip to somewhere sunny; he wanted to be the one to bring some sunshine into Elizabeth’s life.
Bruce came into the kitchen just as Josh was pouring the coffee. Bruce’s face was ugly-bruised and chagrined, with a large white bandage covering most of his nose.
“Hi, Jack,” Bruce said.
“Hi, Dad.”
All three Barnes men took their coffee black, and all three were silent, taking small sips, no one speaking or knowing what to say.
When the doorbell rang, Jack was relieved for the broken silence. He met Claire Roberts at the door.
“How did things go at the Armstrongs?” he asked, thinking only of Elizabeth.
“Things went as expected,” she said, removing her outer garments. “Naturally, they’re very upset, and if it were up to Nate alone, your father would be looking at … well, I don’t know what he’d be looking at—drawing and quartering, maybe? You’re extremely fortunate that Elizabeth and Emmett have level heads, or I expect this would be going in a far different direction.”
“How’s Elizabeth?” Jack asked.
“She’s a fine young woman, as I’m sure you know,” Claire said.
He nodded vigorously. “I do.”
They walked together into the house, and Claire continued speaking. “Elizabeth’s got the kind of strength that comes only from enduring hardship, and the kind of decency that comes only from having been treated indecently for much of her life. I think we both know who’s responsible for that.”
She slid a vexed look toward Bruce, who sat at the kitchen counter with his head hung low.
Claire’s eyes were cold when she turned back to Jack. “Having said that, it’s clear she’s been crying her eyes out for days.”
“I own that,” said Jack, feeling awful.
Claire’s look was sharp. “Yes, you do.”
They went to the kitchen, and Jack could hardly stand to watch as Bruce and Claire looked at each other. The two had known each other since childhood; as adults, she’d been on the city council that unanimously promoted him to be the chief of police.
“Hi, Claire,” he said.
“Bruce.” Her voice was thick with anger. “I was astonished when Jack told me what happened. What you did. You’ve played this entire community for fools, and I can’t remember ever being so disappointed in someone.”
Bruce nodded that he understood.
“People revere you!” she continued. “They think you’re the most honest, ethical police chief this city has ever seen.”
“I was honest and ethical as police chief,” Bruce said. “Ever since Helena died, I’ve spent my entire life trying to make up for what I did.”
“You also spent your entire life trying to make sure no one ever found out what you did,” Claire said, her voice rising. “How convenient it must have been to be the chief of police all the way through when the statute of limitations expired. I’ll bet you made sure no one ever tried to get to the bottom of the missing money, didn’t you?”
Bruce didn’t reply, merely gave a miserable half-nodded. Jack could feel his father’s anguish.
Claire looked like she had a lot more she wanted to say, but she pressed her lips together and shook her head in exasperation. “Well, the word of the day is restitution,” she said. “You will make restitution to the city for the money you stole, and you’ll pay it back with interest. This decision isn’t open for negotiation—if you don’t, we’ll sue you.”
“He doesn’t have that kind of money,” Josh said.
“He’s got equity in this house. I’m sure he has some savings, and we can work out a plan for him to pay the remainder over time from the pension he would never have gotten if we’d known what he did. The way I see it, Bruce, your entire salary all those years constituted theft because you should have been in jail for your crime, not running the police department. So you stole far more than half a million dollars from my point of view, and if we go to court, that’s what our lawyers will argue. Do you want to take a chance like that?”
“Dad?” Jack said. “What are you thinking?”
“It’s okay,” Bruce said, looking around at the house he’d called home for nearly forty years. “I think that’s fair. I’ll sell everything and leave town and finally close this chapter of my life.” He must have seen the same look of devastation on Josh’s face that Jack did because he patted his youngest son on the arm. “You know I’ve been intending to spend more time in Florida with my grandkids. Maggie even checked out some little apartment homes while she was down there over Thanksgiving so she could give me an idea of what’s available. This is not a bad thing, Josh. Not a bad thing at all. I don’t need much to live on. My needs are simple, and I’ll get a job if I have to. A few hours a week at a hardware store would be just fine by me. Claire, I accept your offer.”
“It’s not my offer,” she said. “I’m going to introduce this deal and the terms of repayment as a city council resolution, and it will go into the public record. I’m also recommending a formal censure against you and an exoneration of Nate Armstrong from any suspicion of the theft. Finally, the one condition Nate has is that you issue him a personal and formal public apology. I’ve suggested, and he agreed, it should occur at the same city council meeting.”
Public humiliation.
“We’ll be right there with you, Dad,” Jack said. “Josh will be on one side of you, and I’ll be on the other.”
“You boys are better than I ever was,” Bruce said.
“No one can deny that,” Claire said with a twist of her mouth.
“I don’t think my father should have to go before the council,” Josh said. “He can offer his apology in writing.”
“No, son,” Bruce said. “This will be one of the hardest things I ever do, but I won’t slink out of town like a beaten-down old dog. I want to apologize to Nate; I’ve wanted to do so for all these years. If apologizing in front of the city council is what he needs, that’s what I’ll do—especially if you and Jack are by my side.”
“I guess we’re all set, then,” Claire said. “I’ll be in touch later with all the particulars.”
“Will Nate be staying in town, then?” Bruce asked. “There’ll be no need for him to leave now, once the truth comes out.”
“My understanding is that he’s still planning on moving because he wants that fresh start,” Claire said. “But he’s welcome back anytime.”
“Unlike me,” Bruce said.
“I hope someday I can find it in my heart to forgive you, Bruce,” Claire said. “But in the meantime, no, you’re not welcome.”
Jack felt another pang of sympathy for his dad at this end of a lifelong friendship.
“I’ll walk you to the door,” he said to Claire. “Thank you for your h
elp with all this.” He helped her on with her coat, and she paused before leaving.
“Elizabeth was adamant that your role in what happened stays quiet,” she said. “She doesn’t want your career prospects threatened by your … complicity. Myself, I’m not so sure that’s a good idea.”
“I agree with you,” Jack said, although touched by Elizabeth’s graciousness. Her concern for him also ignited a flare of hardly-dared-for hope. “I have no intention of trying to take the easy way out. At this point in my life, I’d rather people hate me for who I am than love me for who I’m not.”
“I’m glad you feel that way,” Claire said. “I believe most people will forgive you in the end.”
“I hope so,” Jack said. “But there’s only one person whose forgiveness really matters to me, and that’s Elizabeth.”
33
Since being arrested and then released, Elizabeth had been holed up in her own house, along with her dad and brother, ever since Hayley dropped her off. Once there, she’d tucked herself into bed and listened to all the messages Jack had left for her and read all the texts he’d sent. They were full of apologies and promises, and she’d been tempted to reply, but she didn’t let herself, not even when he informed her that he was taking care of Rugby for her.
The next day was the family meeting, the day Claire Roberts came over. That night, laying in the same bed she’d slept in her entire life, Elizabeth found herself thinking not about her dad, or her family, or the past, or the future. All she could think about was Jack––how he’d called the district attorney on her behalf and ensured that his father not press charges. Plus, Claire told her he’d come to her for help and that he was orchestrating a resolution to the whole situation.
It implied much more than Elizabeth had dared to hope.
The morning after the family meeting, she drove to Charlene’s house, feeling bad about having missed yet another day of her caretaking duties. She made sure to park her Bronco out of sight of Jack’s house. She wasn’t ready to face him again, not yet.
Charlene had heard from Jack about what had transpired and asked Elizabeth if she wanted to talk about it. Elizabeth said no and was grateful that Charlene honored her wish. After doing the household chores, helping Charlene get to and from the bathroom a few times, and making them lunch, she and Charlene watched the afternoon soap operas, which allowed Elizabeth to avoid thinking at all.
When Rob Pickens came in around sunset late in the afternoon and greeted Elizabeth, she was grateful he didn’t mention the unfolding drama with her family. What he did say, however, made Elizabeth clap her hand to her forehead.
“How are the pre-nursing classes going?”
She’d forgotten that her course textbooks were still at the cabin next door. And she had her math class the next day.
After saying goodbye to Rob and Charlene, she set off on the path through the back of the property to get to the cabin. It would be a quick errand, in and out, just pick up her school stuff and few other essentials, then leave. Jack probably wasn’t even home.
But she couldn’t help glancing up at his house as she approached. Couldn’t help seeing the lights on. Couldn’t help wondering what he was doing.
She thought of Rugby, and she wanted to see her little dog racing toward her, leaping into her arms and licking her face and cheering her up as only funny little dogs could.
Then she looked up and saw the northern lights shimmering across the sky, overtaking the little remaining glow of twilight to the far southwest. Elizabeth realized that she’d stopped at the special, particular spot on the path where she and Jack had connected in a way that had felt so magical. For a long moment, she stared up at the sky, tears in her eyes at the ethereal sight as ribbons of blue and purple seemed to dance just for her. The world held so much beauty but so much pain, too.
She thought of Nate and his suffering. Yes, he’d played loose with the law while arresting that drug kingpin, but so did a lot of cops in their eagerness to get bad guys off the streets. And in all the years she’d talked with him on the phone, accepting his collect calls when he was feeling low in prison, it was the hit to his reputation that bothered him the most, to be known as a thief among people who’d once looked up to him.
She thought of her mother, who’d been so quick to believe the worst about Nate and who’d chosen to abandon the children for whom she was now solely responsible.
She thought of Emmett, who’d sacrificed his own youth and his own dreams to take the place of their absent parents.
It felt like her entire family had been through an unprovoked war, and they were bloody and battered and scarred. Would she, Emmett, and Nate emerge from it consumed by bitterness and anger and defiant self-righteousness? The war would never really end if that was the case. They’d met with Claire, and she’d agreed to Nate’s wishes, a public admission of guilt from Bruce and a public apology. But would that be enough to allow them to move forward?
“I want a truce,” Elizabeth said out loud. To show she was at the mercy of the universe, she tilted her face toward the glowing sky, stretched out her arms, and lifted her heart skyward—and promptly slipped, landing hard on her hip.
Again! At the very same spot!
She couldn’t help but laugh, and then her laughter turned to tears, and she lay there feeling like a fool, laughing and crying in equal measure, confident that the silly universe was doing the same thing—laughing at her and crying for her.
When she heard footsteps on the path, she was startled and quickly sat up.
It wasn’t just any someone, she realized. It was Jack, bundled against the cold and carrying a stack of firewood in a nylon tote. She saw his confusion at the sight of her on the ground, and something about his expression just made her start laughing again.
Jack set down the firewood and approached, staring at her. “Elizabeth?”
“I fell, Jack,” she said. “I was over at Charlene’s, and I stopped to look at the sky, and then I fell.”
He knelt beside her. “Are you okay?”
“You knocked me down,” she said. “Cosmically, I mean. You knocked me down, over and over.”
“I know,” he said, his brown eyes mournful, his thick black lashes so long and kissable. “All I’ve ever done is knock you down.”
Elizabeth watched as the white clouds of their frozen breath intermingled, and in the coldness of the night, her heart melted. In his eyes, she saw the truth of his love for her, and she also saw what a good man he was. Her anger fizzed away like so much noise, leaving only the quiet knowing in her soul that Jack was the one for her.
He was still the one.
And no matter what he’d done, she couldn’t stand to see him in pain.
She stretched out her hand. “So stop knocking me down and help me up, Jack.”
“That I can do,” he said, smiling in relief.
He stood and lifted her from the snowy ground. Cradling her body against his, he brushed the snow off the hip of her jeans. She winced.
“You hurt there?” he asked.
“I hurt everywhere, Jack.”
“I know you do,” Jack said. “My sweet Elizabeth. It’s killing me to see you so hurt.”
“So make it better.”
And then she was sobbing, her arms encircling his neck and her cheek tucked against his chest. She breathed him in, the warmth of his masculine, outdoorsy scent, and knew she was right where she was supposed to be.
“We’ll figure everything out,” Jack whispered to her, cradling her head in his hands. “Whatever I have to do, I’m going to do it, I promise. I can’t stand the thought of you hating me.”
“I don’t hate you,” she said. “I want to, but I can’t.”
“I can’t stand the thought of you wanting to hate me, either.” He stepped back and kissed her forehead. Her nose. Her lips, so softly that it felt like a tentative prayer. “I’ll make it up to you if it takes me the rest of my life.”
She liked that, and she kissed hi
m back with increasing passion, disregarding the fearful little voice in her head telling to keep up her guard, lest he hurt her again.
“Take me to bed,” she said. “And tell me all the ways you intend to make things up to me.”
“That I can also do.” Jack’s grin was one of surprise and delight. “Whatever you say.”
“Put away this firewood and then come find me in your bedroom.” Elizabeth kissed him again, a deep and desperate and lingering kiss. “And hurry.”
34
As Elizabeth walked the remainder of the way to Jack’s house, she felt almost giddy. Despite the biting cold, she felt warm and flushed, as if some inner fire had been stoked. It was a fire that she’d thought had been smothered out by her own anger.
She entered Jack’s house via the unlocked garage door, noting the tidiness of it, the organized rows of tools and shelves. Just like Jack.
She paused in the mudroom to remove her outerwear, stepped into the kitchen, and then little Rugby was there, barking joyously to see her, racing over the wood floor from the cozy spot Jack had made for him by the fireplace, replete with pillow and blanket.
“Rugby!” She scooped him up and hugged him, laughing as he tried to lick her face. “I’ve missed you! Has Jack been taking good care of you? Oh, my gosh! What kind of silliness has he gotten you into?”
She held him up so she could see the little doggie sweater he was wearing. It was an Alaska State University outfit, gold and blue, with the requisite little moose-antler hoodie. She pulled the hoodie part over Rugby’s ears and laughed before taking it back off.
Looking around, she spotted a water dish and food bowl, as well as assorted dog toys scattered about the living room. “It looks like you’ve taken over the place, Rugby. Good for you.”
She carried him through the living room to his spot, set him on his pillow, and spent a few minutes cuddling with him, scratching his belly and ears. She left Rugby content on his pillow and went upstairs to the master bedroom, with its nicely made bed and elegant lodge furniture.
From The Ashes (Golden Falls Fire Book 3) Page 23